Concern over increasing energy costs and climate change are motivating residential power conservation efforts. These concerns have motivated efforts to reduce the emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). Energy consumption in the residential sector is a significant contributor of GHGs. For example, the residential sector is responsible for over one third of all electricity use in the United States. While information is available on the typical use of electricity in homes (e.g., heating, cooling, water heating, and lighting account for about 50% of all residential electricity use), this aggregate information does not enable homeowners to readily reduce their energy consumption.
Two typical approaches to conserving energy are efficiency and curtailment. Efficiency involves one-time actions (e.g., upgrading to more energy-efficient appliances), and carry a higher cost. Curtailment involves continuous participation (e.g., using less energy on a regular basis). But energy consumption is an abstract concept to most consumers. In addition, consumers are often mistaken about how energy is used in the home, and thus which actions would be most beneficial for conserving energy.